Itsekiri leaders slam Chevron, Seatruck

A group, the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, in Warri, Delta State, yesterday slammed the management of Chevron Nigeria Limited and Sea Truck Groups over the handling of the Jascon 4 tugboat accident, which claimed 11 lives on May 26.

The group regretted that nearly one month after the incident, the companies were yet to officially inform members of the grieving families.

Jascon 4 sank off the coast of Escravos, Delta State, while on a routine tension tow of a crude oil tanker at the SBM #3 owned by CNL.

The ILOT, in a statement, called on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to conduct an independent inquest into the incident.

The statement was signed by Pa. JOS Ayomike, Chairman/leader; Isaac Jimide; Elemi Rewane and the Secretary, Edward Ekpoko, a lawyer.

They called for a post-mortem on the 11 victims – 10 Nigerians and a Ukrainian – to ascertain the cause of death.

Mrs. Joy Egbe, wife of one of the victims, said nearly one month after the incident, the management of West Africa Ventures, a subsidiary of STG, has not visited the family to console them.

The member representing Warri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Daniel Reyenieju, has waded into the tension between the families and STG.

It was gathered that Reyenieju invited the parties to a meeting in his Warri office today.